The Boilermakers union recently experienced both a victory and a setback in their organizing efforts. In March, workers in the machine shop micro-unit at BWXT, Lynchburg, Virginia, voted to join the union, adding 145 new members. John Bland, Northeast Area organizer, detailed how workers initially approached Local 45 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Battle in December, expressing dissatisfaction with working conditions and evolving rules. Previous attempts to unionize at BWXT date back to 2008.
“The workers took charge early on,” insurance representative Tim Tolley remarked about the involvement of employees at the secured nuclear facility where access is restricted. The M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund played a significant role in supporting the union’s organizing efforts. “These guys were shot out of a cannon and came to us organized and ready to go forward,” Tolley added, emphasizing their readiness to fight for change due to the “constantly moving goal post” regarding workplace conditions. Chris Davis, a longtime BWXT machinist, highlighted the desire for a contract and stable rules. Tolley noted that workers are preparing to elect a bargaining committee for contract negotiations.
Contrastingly, unionization efforts faced challenges in Sacramento, California, where a vote at Siemens Mobility did not achieve the necessary outcome to unionize. For over a year, Boilermakers collaborated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers under “Siemens Workers United” to organize over 1,600 workers. Despite being a union-friendly company in Germany, Siemens’ North American branches have resisted unionization. Sacramento workers cited inadequate health benefits, low pay, pay disparity, gender inequality, safety, and poor working conditions as reasons for seeking unionization.
Lawrence Garcia, a coach weld shop employee, spoke about financial struggles due to low wages, while Alan Scovill highlighted issues with health insurance costs. The union campaign had to tackle union-busting tactics and the challenge of reaching workers across an expansive campus, including communication in six languages. Despite support from multiple organizations like IG Metall, IndustriALL, and the California Federation of Labor Unions, it wasn’t enough to garner the required 50% “yes” vote.
The Boilermakers and allied unions will have to wait 12 months to petition for another vote but remain hopeful about maintaining momentum. Organizer Pablo Barrera acknowledged that any immediate positive changes by Siemens would be due to the collective worker efforts. IVP-Western States J. Tom Baca expressed optimism about the continuity of the effort: “This is not the end. It’s just the beginning, and the fight goes on.”
